The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Unique Combined Atmospheric Processing System (NUCAPS) retrieves atmospheric temperature, water vapor, and trace gases profiles from hyperspectral infrared sounding and microwave instruments aboard Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) satellites, and the Infrared Atmospheric Sounder (IASI) aboard the Meteorological Operational Satellite Program (Metop) satellites. Among all enhancement of the recently released NUCAPS V3.1, a new ozone climatology, a new carbon dioxide climatology, and averaging kernel matrix output are important updates. The comparison between NUCAPS retrieved ozone and ECMWF analysis on 12 focus days in 12 months indicates that the global ozone retrievals are improved in all seasons, especially over Antarctic region during spring to summer transition time. The diagnostic study using averaging kernel analysis shows that NUCAPS retrieved ozone profiles have good agreement with ozonesonde measurements.

Thermal infrared (IR) environmental satellite data assimilation and remote sensing of the surface and lower troposphere depend on the accurate specification of the spectral surface emissivity within clear-sky forward calculations. Over ocean surfaces, accurate modeling of surface-leaving radiances over the sensor scanning swaths is complicated by a quasi-specular bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF). Recent findings at the Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation (JCSDA) have also revealed significant zonally varying systematic biases ($\approx |0.5|$K) on a global scale over cold ocean waters; these are the results of temperature dependence in the thermal IR optical constants. This article proposes practical solutions to these problems by modeling thermal IR “effective emissivity” in a manner that accounts for both surface emission and quasi-specular reflectance, along with temperature dependence, while meeting the latency and computational constraints of operational global data assimilation and retrieval systems. We overview the theoretical basis of the model and validate it against ship-based Marine Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (MAERI) spectra obtained from cold and warm water ocean campaigns.

The NOAA Unique Combined Atmospheric Processing System (NUCAPS) is the official operational hyperspectral enterprise sounding product system that produces vertical profiles of temperature, water vapor, ozone, and various trace gas products (e.g., CO, CH4, and CO2). The NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) has implemented the NUCAPS enterprise algorithm to produce these atmospheric and trace gas products from the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS, NOAA-20, and the JPSS-2 satellite expected to be launched in September 2022) Cross-track Infrared Sounders (CrIS), and from the Infrared Atmospheric Sounder (IASI) instruments aboard the Meteorological Operational Satellite Program (MetOp-B, C, 9:30 AM/PM orbit) series of satellites. In pursuance of the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellite Second Generation (EUMETSAT-SG, expected launch in September 2022) IASI Next Generation (IASI-NG) hyperspectral observations, NOAA STAR has initiated refinements to the NUCAPS algorithm to produce NOAA unique products from the IASI-NG hyperspectral sounder. This paper presents an overview of the NUCAPS atmospheric composition and trace gas products, performance, and utilization for many regional and global applications. Refinements and augmenting the NUCAPS for EPS-SG IASI, recent improvements to the data products accommodating user needs, upgrades to the data products to support near-real-time applications are discussed. In addition, continued efforts towards reprocessing to generate mission-long high-quality science products and geophysical data products via direct broadcast networks are discussed for user awareness and international collaborations.

The NOAA Unique Combined Atmospheric Processing System (NUCAPS) is the official operational hyperspectral enterprise sounding product system that produces vertical profiles of temperature, water vapor, ozone, and a variety of trace gas products (e.g. CO, CH4, and CO2). These products provide continued support of global environmental data from multiple polar-orbiting satellites to monitor atmospheric composition, trace gas concentrations, climate change and Earth system processes. This paper presents an overview of the NUCAPS atmospheric composition products, performance, and utilization for many regional and global applications. Future plans on collaborations, special data needs by user communities, and upgrades to the data products to support near real-time applications are discussed. In addition, continued efforts towards reprocessing to generate mission-long high-quality science products, adapting to enterprise algorithms, and providing calibrated radiances and geophysical data products via direct broadcast networks are discussed for user awareness and international collaborations.

The NOAA Unique Combined Atmospheric Processing System (NUCAPS) is currently the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) operational hyper-spectral infrared sounding product system for deriving vertical profiles of temperature, water vapor, ozone, and trace gas products (CO, CH4, and CO2). In pursuance on the use of European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellite Second Generation (EUMETSAT-SG, expected launch in 2022) IASI Next Generation (IASI-NG) hyperspectral observations, NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) has initiated refinements to the NUCAPS algorithm to produce NOAA unique products from the IASI-NG and accompanying Microwave Sounder (MWS). This paper presents an overview of the NUCAPS Suomi-NPP/NOAA-20 products performance and on-going efforts in setting up a NUCAPS-NG product development system using proxy/synthetic data sets provided by the EUMETSAT and generated at STAR for the IASI-NG instrument.

The recent emergence of the NOAA Unique Combined Atmospheric Processing System (NUCAPS) provides operational forecasters with unprecedented information in 3D atmospheric profiling. The NUCAPS product suite consists of Skew-T profiles, constant pressure plane surfaces, and vertical slicing views of thermal and moisture components. This presentation will describe the application of NUCAPS over impactful weather features within the Pacific basin.

The atmospheric temperature and water vapour profile products, derived from the hyperspectral cross-track infrared sounder/advanced technology microwave sounder (CrIS/ATMS) on board the Suomi national polar orbiting partnership (S-NPP) satellite and the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) on board MetOP-B satellite, were assessed using radiosonde data as the target. This is achieved by leveraging the strengths of satellite synchronized dedicated, Global Reference Upper Air Network (GRUAN), and conventional radiosonde observations (RAOBs) in the analysis of satellite-radiosonde collocation data, compiled through the NOAA sounding Products Validation System (NPROVS). One of the results found in the study is water vapour profiles of both the NOAA Unique Combined Atmospheric Processing System (NUCAPS) and EUMETSAT IASI L2 products are comparable to or even better than numerical model prediction (NWP) outputs, when dedicated ship RAOBs were used as the benchmark.

Atmospheric soundings from radiosondes are critical for the weather forecasting, particularly for the diagnostic of atmospheric stability conditions that can lead to thunderstorm development. However, radiosonde observations (RAOBs) are temporally and spatially limited throughout the globe, promoting the use of satellite measurements. This paper assesses the applicability to the operational short-term weather forecasting of atmospheric stability indices and parameters (SIPs) derived from thermodynamic profiles retrieved from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Unique Combined Atmospheric Processing System (NUCAPS) using the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) and Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) radiances. For this purpose, we validated NUCAPS SIPs against SIPs derived from conventional and dedicated/reference RAOBs collocated with NUCAPS retrievals within a maximum radius of 50 km and ±1-h time difference, over midlatitudes (60°N-30°N) and tropics (30°N-30°S). Stability parameters evaluated include total precipitable water (TPW), lifted index, K-index, total-totals index, and Galvez-Davison index. NUCAPS TPW exhibited the highest level of statistical agreement with RAOBs, with the remaining NUCAPS SIPs exhibiting favorable results (linear correlations ranging between 0.65 and 0.85). Case studies over the Texas/Oklahoma region and the Northern Coast of Brazil demonstrate NUCAPS capability of generating reliable fields of atmospheric stability, as well as capturing synoptic-scale convective signatures, not feasible with RAOBs. Considering also the benefit of SNPP NUCAPS hyperspectral-infrared (IR) and microwave soundings available for both regions during critical early afternoon periods, our analysis supports the use of NUCAPS CrIS/ATMS SIPs as complementary nowcasting tools for the analysis of preconvective environments.

This paper provides an overview of the validation of the operational atmospheric vertical temperature profile (AVTP) and atmospheric vertical moisture profile (AVMP) environmental data record (EDR) products retrieved from the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) and the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS), two passive sounding systems onboard the Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership (SNPP) satellite. The CrIS/ATMS suite serves as the U.S. low earth orbit (LEO) satellite sounding system and will span the future Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) LEO satellites. The operational sounding algorithm is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-Unique Combined Atmospheric Processing System (NUCAPS), a legacy sounder science team algorithm capable of retrieving atmospheric profile EDR products with optimal vertical resolution under nonprecipitating (clear to partly cloudy) conditions. The SNPP NUCAPS AVTP and AVMP EDR products are validated using extensive global in situ baseline data sets, namely, radiosonde observations launched from ground-based networks and ocean-based intensive field campaigns, along with numerical weather prediction model output. Based upon statistical analyses using these data sets, the SNPP AVTP and AVMP EDRs are determined to meet the JPSS Level 1 global performance requirements.

This paper continues an overview of the validation of operational profile retrievals from the Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership (SNPP), with focus here given to the infrared (IR) ozone profile environmental data record (EDR) product. The SNPP IR ozone profile EDR is retrieved using the cross-track IR sounder (CrIS), a Fourier transform spectrometer that measures high-resolution IR earth radiance spectra containing atmospheric state information, namely, vertical profiles of temperature, moisture, and trace gas constituents. The SNPP CrIS serves as the U.S. low earth orbit (LEO) satellite IR sounding system and will be featured on future Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) LEO satellites. The operational sounding algorithm is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-Unique Combined Atmospheric Processing System (NUCAPS), a legacy sounder science team algorithm that retrieves atmospheric profile EDR products, including ozone and carbon trace gases, with optimal vertical resolution under nonprecipitating (clear to partly cloudy) conditions. The NUCAPS ozone profile product is assessed in this paper using extensive global in situ truth data sets, namely, ozonesonde observations launched from ground-based networks and from ocean-based intensive field campaigns, along with numerical weather prediction model output. Based upon rigorous statistical analyses using these data sets, the NUCAPS ozone profile EDRs are determined to meet the JPSS Level 1 global performance requirements.

This work presents an analysis of the vertical resolution of the temperature and water vapor retrieved by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Unique Combined Atmospheric Processing System (NUCAPS) using averaging kernels as a diagnostic tool. One of the goals of an atmospheric profile retrieval system is to estimate the state of the atmosphere using an optimal set of observations containing independent information content in order to simultaneously minimize the retrieval error and maximize the vertical resolution. The averaging kernels are also used to compute the number of degrees of freedom of retrieved temperature and water vapor in order to estimate the number of useful independent observations contained in the infrared and microwave observations. Our work uses data obtained from the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) and the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) to diagnose the vertical resolution of NUCAPS retrieved sounding products over different latitudes and seasons, and to support comparisons of retrievals against correlative radiosonde measurements. This work is expected to be extended to other NUCAPS products, since the generation of the averaging kernels is a functionality embedded as part of NUCAPS.

We perform a demonstration experiment using the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration Unique Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS)/Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder Processing System to assess the improvement on trace gas retrievals upon switching to high spectral resolution CrIS radiance measurements (0.625 cm-1). The focus of this study is carbon monoxide retrievals. The experimental high spectral resolution CO retrievals show a remarkable improvement, of almost up to one order of magnitude in the degree of freedom of the signal, with respect to the low-resolution mode. Furthermore, high-resolution CO retrievals show similar skill with respect to existing CO operational products from the Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder, Atmospheric Sounder Interferometer, and Measurements of Pollution In The Troposphere instruments, both in terms of spatial variability and degrees of freedom. The results of this research provide evidence to support the need for high spectral resolution CrIS measurements. This is a fundamental prerequisite in guaranteeing continuity to the CO afternoon orbit monitoring as part of a multisatellite uniformly integrated long-term data record of atmospheric trace gases.

Atmospheric Vertical Temperature Profile (AVTP) and Atmospheric Vertical Moisture Profile (AVMP) retrievals produced by the Cross-track Infrared Sounder and the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder suite (CrIMSS) official algorithm were evaluated with global European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) analysis fields, radiosonde (RAOB) measurements, and Aqua-Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) heritage algorithm retrievals. The operational CrIMSS AVTP and AVMP product statistics with truth data sets are quite comparable to the AIRS heritage algorithm statistics. Planned updates and improvements to the CrIMSS algorithm will alleviate many issues observed with `day-one' focus-day results and show promise in meeting the Key Performance Parameter (KPP) specifications.

As a part of the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) and the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP), the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) and Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) instruments make up the Cross-track Infrared and Microwave Sounder Suite (CrIMSS). CrIMSS primarily provides globally-referenced calibrated radiances and vertical profiles of temperature, moisture, and pressure. The CrIMSS operational code has been ported to various LINUX systems and retrievals are performed using both proxy and real ATMS/CrIS data. The high quality proxy data generated from the IASI instrument provided useful testing for the CrIMSS EDR algorithm prior to the launch of the SUOMI NPP satellite. The experience learned from processing the proxy data helped us to handle the SUOMI NPP CrIS/ATMS data as soon as they became available to the CAL/VAL team. In this paper, encouraging preliminary results of applying the ported CrIMSS EDR algorithm to the SUOMI NPP CrIS/ATMS data are presented.

This paper reports on the recent status of the validation program for the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) Cross-track Infrared Microwave Sounding Suite (CrIMSS), a hyperspectral infrared sounding system designed for providing high resolution atmospheric vertical temperature and moisture profile (AVTP and AVMP) environmental data records (EDRs). CrIMSS EDR validation activities, currently (as of this writing, May 2012) segueing from the Early-Orbit Checkout (EOC) phase to the Intensive Cal/Val (ICV) phase of the program, are briefly highlighted.

This paper summarizes work investigating the zenith angular dependence of residual cloud and/or aerosol contamination on “clear-sky” infrared observations, which include cloud-cleared radiances and cloud-masked data, along with the implication for achieving agreement with forward calculations over the scanning range of the sensor.

The morphology and chemical composition of aerosols associated with Saharan dust outbreaks between July 2006 and 2009 off-shore of the African continent above the tropical North Atlantic Ocean is investigated. Conducted aboard the NOAA research ship Ronald H. Brown (KHB). The trans-Atlantic AEROsol and Ocean Science Expeditions (AEROSE) are a series of intensive atmospheric field campaigns designed to investigate the surface chemistry and provide a unique data set to characterize the impact and microphysical evolution of Saharan dust during mobilization as a signature to different source regions. Elemental composition results for the 2006 AEROSE samples based on energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis system indicate a well-mixed dust urban plume regime and reveal the presence of Al, C, Ca, Cd, CI, Fe, K, Mg, Na, O, Pb, S, and Si; while the 2009 samples being predominantly dust aerosols were dominated by crustal elements such as Al, Ca, CI, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Na, O, P, S, Si, Sn, Ti, and Zn. The secondary electron images for both years reveal a variety of morphologies, but were dominated by chain-like association of spherules and non-spherical particles. Raman Microscopy affords an interpretation of the surface chemical processing and mixing state and revealed the presence of significant hydrocarbons in 2006, and sulfate for both years. Back trajectories show an outflow of air masses from Mauritania, Senegal, and a weak outflow from Algeria-Mali border for 2006 and Libya for 2009.